Share ConsumerLab.com's information with family and friends — or just send to yourself. Simply provide an email address below.

You must provide a valid email address.

Your email address*:

Your name*: Send me a copy

Email Address where it's going*:

*Addresses and name will only be used for sending this message.

Additional message (optional):

Your message has been sent. Thanks for sharing!

ConsumerLab.com Answers

Gummy Vitamin Concerns

Question:Is there cause for concern with "gummy vitamins?" There are many different gummies out there. Are some better than others?

Answer: Tests by ConsumerLab.com have found that some gummy supplements -- particularly gummy multivitamins -- do not contain their listed amounts of vitamins or minerals, or contain impurities. We continue to find more problems with candy-like vitamins like gummies than with traditional forms, such as tablets and caplets.

Manufacturing challenges associated with candy-like products likely explain the higher incidence of problems. Gummies are notoriously difficult to manufacture because it is hard to measure in the correct amounts of vitamins and minerals (some are simply sprayed on a candy base) and the ingredients in a gummy are more likely to degrade, so manufacturers often put in more than the listed amount -- resulting in products with too much of a vitamin, such as folic acid, when first produced and decreasing amounts over the course of their shelf-lives. Some companies seem to do a better job making gummy vitamins than others.

A benefit of gummies is that they may be more palatable than a pill. Also, being chewable, there is not the risk that the product won't properly break apart, as there is with a tablet.

A risk with any candy-like supplement, particularly for children, is that too many will be consumed, potentially resulting in toxicity. It's therefore best to give young children vitamins as needed and not leave them out. Also, keep in mind that not all vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients are easily incorporated into gummies or are not included due to poor taste (such as iron, which would cause a metallic taste), so, if you are interested in a gummy supplement, check that it lists the ingredients you want. You can check the ingredients in gummy supplements in "Ingredients" table in each of our reports listed above.

I haven't located any information about the vitafusion supplement gummies. I Purchased the Platinum 50+ and Hair, Skin & Nails gummies at my local Costco and Walgrens. Have you tested either of these products? It appears adult gummies are relatively new products and I wonder if at least this brand has been reviewed.

"...if you are interested in a gummy supplement, check that it lists the ingredients you want."How effective would this method be unless we know the manufacturing practices and ethics of the company developing the products, given that there is no real regulation ensuring that what is on the label is actually in the product?

Hi W. - Of course, in addition to first checking product labels to see whether they list all the ingredients you want (or don't want), look at our product reviews to see if we recently tested the product and, if so, whether or not it passed our rigorous evaluation.